The
risk of many chronic diseases may be influenced by the composition of fatty
acids in adipose tissue, particularly the ratio of saturated to unsaturated
fats and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats. However, the chemical shift
dispersion of 1H MRS is not sufficient for full analysis of
chemical composition. Broadband proton-decoupled 13C NMR spectra
of subcutaneous adipose tissue were obtained in healthy subjects.After corrections for T1 and
nuclear Overhauser effects, the poly-, mono-, and saturated fat composition
was 18%, 49%, and 32%, respectively. 13C NMR is a rich source of
information about adipose composition in humans.